I like neat little symmetries. For example:
1. In the 60's and 70's American bands rawked (MC5, Jimi Hendrix), and the Brits made textured, sophisticated pieces (Pink Floyd and all the other proggie bands).
2. In the 00's, British bands rawk (Arctic Monkeys, The Libertines, Futureheads) and the (North) Americans make textured, sophisticated pieces (Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, and the bands I'm about to name.)
This symmetry and reversal would have been cool if it were true. But it isn't. Not a bit. The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin rawked, and Crosby Stills and Nash were sophisticated.
In this decade however, it may prove to be true that Canadian and American indie acts are doing more in the realm of the vague, the mystic, the psychedelic.
Whatever. I have no idea. There are 2 bands I'd like to blog about. I discovered them through Paul Lester's very useful Band of the Day feature in The Guardian. They're both brilliant, as my last.fm page will attest!
First up is MGMT. Their wiki page isn't very informative. They are dreamy, trippy and quirky, yet they have a nice crisp sense of rhythm. I do believe they sing like the best 1970s soft rock bands too! Seek out their album Oracular Spectacular.
MGMT - Time to Pretend
MGMT - Kids
Next up is Yeasayer. They deserve a prize for coolest bandname not involved the word "the" or two incongruous words juxtaposed against each other. Their music is even better. It's "YES" music; true to its name. Psychedelia is in there somewhere, and gospel, and British prog even. They're from Brooklyn, which might be the coolest place to reside in America, if you're in a band. (Montreal, however, may be the coolest place on the continent for a band.) The album is called All Hour Cymbals. Get it.
Yeasayer - Wait for Summer
Yeasayer - Red Cave
Brooklyn, New York is also home to Animal Collective. I first encountered the interesting (and somewhat misleading) terms "freak-folk" and "anti-folk" in connection with their work. I haven't paid close attention to their albums, but their singles are fantastic. Here are two. The new one, "Peacebone", is thoroughly weird and exciting.
Animal Collective - Grass
Animal Collective - Peacebone
New Music is good, people. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise.
